Guilt Free: Chicken Mushroom Pasta.

Pasta is a comfort food that we all love. Many often feel guilty eating up such a plate but the key here is to make it with as less calories as you can while still having your veggies and protein to keep you going. This type of recipe is often used with cream in restaurants however that is something we should all try to stay away from. Instead, I share my 120 calorie sauce as an alternative in this flavourful dish.

Trick: For those that just want a veggie pasta, mushrooms are meaty enough and act like a protein so you can forgo the chicken if desired just cut them thicker.

Ingredients:

Olive oil

Salt

Lemon

1 cup pasta

1/3 water

1 chicken breast

Italian seasoning

1 clove of garlic

4 mushrooms

2 whole sundried tomatoes

1 beef bouillon cube

A splash of white wine

2 cups spinach

Handful to arugula sprouts

Pepper

Handful of parsley

Pinch of chili flakes

Tip: Olive oil and tasteless coconut oil can often be interchangeable. However, while coconut may be healthier depending on the brand it might be more calories than your brand of olive oil. Always check the labels to see what you`re putting into your mouth

CHICKEN

Start Barbeque, grill or pan for chicken

Take your chicken breast, squeeze lemon on top and evenly coat with Italian seasoning along with some salt

Place your chicken and cook for 12 minutes or until it runs clear in the middle

Trick: Cook chicken breasts ahead of time and freeze them. This is a total time saver when it comes to not only pastas but salads and wraps too. It can defrost in the same pan while everything cooks together.

PASTA

Pick your choice of pasta, I would recommend fettuccine, rigatoni or penne

Heat up water

When boiling, add a generous pinch of salt

Add your pasta

Check your pasta and see if it has a little bit of a bite to it. This is ideal as you will continue to cook it in the sauce (around 15 minutes)

Drain and let cool

VEGGIES AND SAUCE

Place kettle on with water for sauce

In the meantime, chop garlic, mushrooms and sundried tomatoes

Start your saute pan with a little drizzle of olive oil

Place on simmer and let your garlic and olive oil melt into one another (2 minutes)

Add your mushrooms

Take your beef bouillon cube, put it in measuring cup, add hot water from kettle and let it melt together

Pour bouillon mix into the pan

Add your white wine and little bit more olive oil

Add spinach and sundried tomatoes to the mix

When everything looks nicely mixed, add your pasta to the pan. This is one of the most important tricks I`ve learned over the years.

Grate a handful of parmesan cheese over the pan and wait for everything to melt together.

Taste and add salt if needed.

Squeeze about a tablespoon of lemon and mix all together

Add arugula sprouts on top (there will wilt on their own, no need to add it in th pan before)